Nigeria: Ekiti women protest half naked over arrest of 30 persons

The arrest of thirty persons by the Ekiti State Police Command in connection with an attempt to burn down the palace of Elemule of Emure Ekiti , Oba Emmanuel Adebayo have been met with a stiff protest by half naked women in Emure Ekiti. In a bid to drive home their displeasure against the monarch and the police, the angry half-naked women were seen carrying leaves while singing hate songs against their ruler, demanding that their wards be released.

The whole brouhaha started last Monday when some youths of the community went on rampage, protesting against power cut by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company. The irate youths ignored all effort to stop the protest as the two entry points into the town were blocked. According to Olayinka,

 “For the past seven months, we hardly have electricity and when they bring it, it was only in the midnight. “Why this treatment from the electricity firm is painful is because of all Ekiti communities, Emure pays the highest bill. We are not enjoying electricity and instead, we get crazy bills. “The electricity firm slams us with N8, 000, N6, 000 and N7, 000 bills for each household. For artisans like welders, each of them gets N15, 000 a month. It’s ridiculous,” Olayinka said.

 The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, disclosed that the youths were apprehended while trying to burn the monarch’s palace. “The Emure people protested against BEDC for disconnecting their electricity. What we disagreed with was the mode of protest. They became very violent and attacked the palace and the police station.

We moved in and succeeded in quelling the violence. The area is calm now. “We are screening those arrested and we have released some of them on bail. “We are also looking at the case of arson which is not bail able because the palace was nearly set on fire,” Lakanu said

 According to Alberto Adeyemi, the Police Public Relations Officer, out of the youths apprehended, only five are yet to be released. The State PPRO noted, “The remaining five are at the State Criminal Investigation Department, assisting the police in the investigation”. Adeyemi said the five still in police net will be arraigned if found wanting.